No points to score and therefore no goal posts even erected! I hope to keep this an interesting and civil discussion so I would appreciate a little less unwarranted aggression but if anyone wants to blow off some steam, who am I to stop them :-) As to the maker of exceedingly good cakes I can only refer to the terms of reference in the OP -

"The ones above relate to WW1 specifically but I guess any war, or any other situation, will do."

Very interesting points about 'the old barbed wire'. Can you refer us to a definitive source for the 'original' version you refer to as opposed to any of the of the other 'originals'?

D.